Electronics engineer Lorentio Brodesco recently unveiled the nsOne, a groundbreaking custom PlayStation 1 motherboard that is the first of its kind created independently from Sony in the console's 30-year history. This fully functional board is designed to accommodate original PlayStation 1 chips and seamlessly fits into the original console case, representing a significant achievement in reverse-engineering for the iconic console that debuted in 1994.

Unlike emulators or FPGA-based recreations, Brodesco's motherboard is an authentic circuit board specifically crafted to work with genuine PlayStation 1 components such as the CPU, GPU, SPU, RAM, oscillators, and voltage regulators. The development of this board involved over a year of meticulous reverse-engineering efforts that commenced in March 2024 when Brodesco encountered incomplete documentation while repairing a PlayStation 1.

Brodesco emphasized in a Reddit post that the nsOne is not an emulator, FPGA, or modern replica, but a legitimate motherboard that is fully compatible with the original PS1 chips.

This innovative project holds immense appeal for PS1 enthusiasts as a custom motherboard could potentially breathe new life into malfunctioning consoles by allowing owners to transfer original chips from defective boards onto new, operational ones. Given that original PS1 motherboards are increasingly susceptible to failure after three decades, the availability of replacement boards could significantly prolong the lifespan of these beloved consoles without the need for emulation.

The nsOne initiative, which stands for 'Not Sony's One,' features a hybrid design inspired by the PU-23 series motherboards found in SCPH-900X PlayStation models, while reintroducing the parallel port omitted from later iterations by Sony. Brodesco enhanced the original two-layer PCB design to a more advanced four-layer board while retaining the same form factor.

This project has garnered widespread attention from retro gaming communities and tech publications, receiving coverage from platforms like Hackaday, TimeExtension, and others since its initial announcement. A Kickstarter campaign aimed at supporting prototype production and testing has successfully raised 5,774 euros (approximately $6,684) from 65 backers as of June 5, 2025.